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whole moral being into play to evade it。
As he crossed the passage he came upon Mrs。 Tripp hooded and
elaborately attired in a white ball dress； which however did not；
to his own fancy； become her as well as her ordinary costume。 He
was passing her with a bow； when she said； with complacent
consciousness of her appearance； 〃Aren't you going to the ball to…
night？〃
He remembered then that 〃an opening ball〃 at the Court…house was a
part of the celebration。 〃No；〃 he said smiling； 〃but it is a pity
that Rupert couldn't have seen you in your charming array。〃
〃Rupert；〃 said the lady； with a slightly coquettish laugh； 〃you
have made him as much a woman…hater as yourself。 I offered to take
him in our party； and he ran away to you。〃 She paused； and giving
him a furtive critical glance said； with an easy mingling of
confidence and audacity； 〃Why don't YOU go？ Nobody'll hurt you。〃
〃I'm not so sure of that；〃 replied Mr。 Ford gallantly。 〃There's
the melancholy example of Rupert always before me。〃
Mrs。 Tripp tossed her chignon and descended a step of the stairs。
〃You'd better go；〃 she continued； looking up over the balusters。
〃You can look on if you can't dance。〃
Now Mr。 Ford COULD dance； and it so chanced； rather well； too。
With this consciousness he remained standing in half indignant
hesitation on the landing as she disappeared。 Why shouldn't he go？
It was true； he had half tacitly acquiesced in the reserve with
which he had been treated； and had never mingled socially in the
gatherings of either sex at Indian Springbut that was no reason。
He could at least dress himself； walk to the Court…house andlook
on。
Any black coat and white shirt was sufficiently de rigueur for
Indian Spring。 Mr。 Ford added the superfluous elegance of a
forgotten white waistcoat。 When he reached the sidewalk it was
only nine o'clock； but the windows of the Court…house were already
flaring like a stranded steamer on the barren bank where it had
struck。 On the way thither he was once or twice tempted to change
his mind； and hesitated even at the very door。 But the fear that
his hesitation would be noticed by the few loungers before it； and
the fact that some of them were already hesitating through
bashfulness； determined him to enter。
The clerks' office and judges' chambers on the lower floor had been
invaded by wraps； shawls； and refreshments； but the dancing was
reserved for the upper floor or courtroom； still unfinished。
Flags； laurel…wreaths； and appropriate floral inscriptions hid its
bare walls； but the coat of arms of the State； already placed over
the judges' dais with its illimitable golden sunset； its triumphant
goddess； and its implacable grizzly； seemed figuratively to typify
the occasion better than the inscriptions。 The room was close and
crowded。 The flickering candles in tin sconces against the walls；
or depending in rude chandeliers of barrel…hoops from the ceiling；
lit up the most astounding diversity of female costume the master
had ever seen。 Gowns of bygone fashions； creased and stained with
packing and disuse； toilets of forgotten festivity revised with
modern additions； garments in and out of seasona fur…trimmed
jacket and a tulle skirt； a velvet robe under a pique sacque； fresh
young faces beneath faded head…dresses； and mature and buxom charms
in virgin' white。 The small space cleared for the dancers was
continually invaded by the lookers…on； who in files of three deep
lined the room。
As the master pushed his way to the front； a young girl； who had
been standing in the sides of a quadrille； suddenly darted with a
nymph…like quickness among the crowd and was for an instant hidden。
Without distinguishing either face or figure； Mr。 Ford recognized
in the quick； impetuous action a characteristic movement of
Cressy's； with an embarrassing instinct that he could not account
for； he knew she had seen him； and that； for some inexplicable
reason； he was the cause of her sudden disappearance。
But it was only for a moment。 Even while he was vaguely scanning
the crowd she reappeared and took her place beside her mystified
partnerthe fascinating stranger of Johnny's devotion and Rupert's
dislike。 She was pale； he had never seen her so beautiful。 All
that he had thought distasteful and incongruous in her were but
accessories of her loveliness at that moment； in that light； in
that atmosphere； in that strange assembly。 Even her full pink
gauze dress； from which her fair young shoulders slipped as from a
sunset cloud； seemed only the perfection of virginal simplicity；
her girlish length of limb and the long curves of her neck and back
were now the outlines of thorough breeding。 The absence of color
in her usually fresh face had been replaced by a faint magnetic
aurora that seemed to him half spiritual。 He could not take his
eyes from her； he could not believe what he saw。 Yet that was
Cressy McKinstryhis pupil！ Had he ever really seen her？ Did he
know her now？ Small wonder that all eyes were bent upon her； that
a murmur of unspoken admiration； or still more intense hush of
silence moved the people around him。 He glanced hurriedly at them；
and was oddly relieved by this evident participation in his
emotions。
She was dancing now； and with that same pale restraint and curious
quiet that had affected him so strongly。 She had not even looked
in his direction； yet he was aware by the same instinct that had at
first possessed him that she knew he was present。 His desire to
catch her eye was becoming mingled with a certain dread； as if in a
single interchange of glances the illusions of the moment would
either vanish utterly or become irrevocably fixed。 He forced
himself； when the set was finished； to turn away； partly to avoid
contact with some acquaintances who had drifted before him； and
whom politeness would have obliged him to ask to dance； and partly
to collect his thoughts。 He determined to make a tour of the rooms
and then go quietly home。 Those who recognized him made way for
him with passive curiosity； the middle…aged and older adding a
confidential sympathy and equality that positively irritated him。
For an instant he had an idea of seeking out Mrs。 Tripp and
claiming her as a partner； merely to show her that he danced。
He had nearly made the circuit of the room when he was surprised by
the first strains of a waltz。 Waltzing was not a strong feature of
Indian Spring festivity； partly that the Church people had serious
doubts if David's saltatory performances before the Ark included
〃round dances；〃 and partly that the young had not yet mastered its
difficulties。 When he yielded to his impulse to look again at the
dancers he found that only three or four couples had been bold
enough to take the floor。 Cressy McKinstry and her former partner
were one of them。 In his present exaltation he was not astonished
to find that she had evidently picked up the art in her late visit；
and was now waltzing with quiet grace and precision； but he was
surprised that her partner was far from being equally perfect； and
that after a few turns she stopped and smilingly disengaged her
waist from his arm。 As she stepped back she turned with unerring
instinct to that part of the room where the master stood； and raised
her eyes through the multitude of admiring faces to his。 Their eyes
met in an isolation as supreme as if they had been alone。 It was an
attraction the more dangerous because unformulateda possession
without previous pledge； promise； or even intentiona love that did
not require to be 〃made。〃
He approached her quietly and even more coolly than he thought
possible。 〃Will you allow me a trial？〃 he asked。
She looked in his face； and as if she had not heard the question
but was following her own thought； said； 〃I knew you would come； I
saw you when you first came in。〃 Without another word she put her
hand in his； and as if it were part of an instinctive action of
drawing closer to him； caught with her advancing foot the accent of
the waltz； and the next moment the room seemed to slip away from
them into whirling space。
The whole thing had passed so rapidly from the moment he approached
her to the first graceful swing of her full skirt at his side； that
it seemed to him almost like the embrace of a lovers' meeting。 He
had often been as near her before； had stood at her side at school；
and even leaned over her desk； but always with an irritated
instinct of reserve that had equally affected her； and which he now
understood。 With her conscious but pale face so near his own； with
the faint odor of her hair clinging to her； and with the sweet
confusion of the half lingering； half withheld contact of her hand
and arm； all had changed。 He did not dare to reflect that he could
never again approach her except with this feeling。 He did not dare
to think of anything； he aband